Blick aus einem AUA-Flieger: Kleineres Angebot als erhofft.
30 instead of 50 percent

Austrian Airlines forced to reduce flight plan

The booking situation at the Lufthansa subsidiary is worse than expected. As a result, Austrian Airlines' winter offer will be smaller than planned.

Top-Jobs

logo mjet

CAMO ENGINEER m/f/d

Schwechat, Wien
Feste Anstellung
Business Aviation
MJET GmbH
Österreich
Vollzeit
Top jobs
Zimex logo

Administrator AVOR & CAMO

Vollzeit
Zimex Aviation Ltd.
Flugoperationen
Feste Anstellung
Top jobs
Altenrhein
Schweiz

About three weeks ago Chief Executive Officer Alexis von Hoensbroech prepared his staff for bad news. The airline's sales lay «below the expectations», explained the head of Austrian Airlines. Now he has repeated the message and specified what this means for the airline. In the winter season 2020/21, the company will not offer 50 percent of the previous year's services as previously planned, but only 30 percent.

The change is necessary because, on one hand, many countries are on quarantine lists and are therefore unattractive for holidaymakers. At the same time, Vienna and other Austrian federal provinces are on the quarantine lists of other European countries. This makes these further adjustments to the flight plan necessary, von Hoensbroech told employees.

Liquidity situation better than expected

Austrian Airlines will offer flights to around 60 destinations during the winter season. This is around 20 fewer than in the previous year. However, many destinations will be served far less frequently than in the past.

Despite poor booking figures, Austrian Airlines reports some positive news: The liquidity situation is «above planned levels due to strict cost discipline», says the Lufthansa subsidiary. Among other things, it has extended short-time working. The last 100 million package of the state-guaranteed loan amounting 300 million euros will also be transferred shortly, it announced. In addition, the company will receive 150 million euros in disaster relief from the Austrian government and 150 million in fresh equity capital from owner Lufthansa.

Summer will be decisive

Austrian Airlines makes it clear that the current situation can't go on like this for much longer. «The next summer will be decisive. If we get the virus under control by then, land will be in sight again», predicts Board Member Andreas Otto.

Mehr zum Thema

Zug und Flugzeug: Wer bedient welche Strecke?

Will trains replace flights more quickly?

Lauda-Jet: From now on registered with the 9H prefix instead of Austria's OE.

Lauda is relocating from Vienna to Malta

Leonore Gewessler: «If the tickets only cost 9.90, then the environment and the climate pay for it.»

«The future is the train, especially on short haul routes»

Drawing of a Lauda aircraft: The brand stays, the purpose is different.

Ryanair has cancelled Lauda's jet deliveries

Video

hose runter
Da wollte jemand eine klare Botschaft übermitteln: Ein Video zeigt, wie ein Bodenmitarbeiter vor einem Flugzeug die Hose herunterlässt.
Timo Nowack
Timo Nowack
Il-114-300 soll eine höherer Reichweite bekommen.
Ilyushin plant die Auslieferung der ersten drei Il-114-300 für das Jahr 2026. Bis 2028 soll die Reichweite des Turbopropflugzeuges um fast ein Drittel steigen.
Benjamin Recklies
Benjamin Recklies
Die Boeing 747-8 nach der Landung in São Paulo: Der Loste fragte nach dem Grund für den Mayday-Ruf.
Dichter Nebel verhinderte die Landung in Buenos Aires. Der Flug aus Frankfurt wich deshalb nach vielen Schleifen und einem Abstecher nach Asuncion nach São Paulo-Guarulhos aus. Dort erklärte die Crew der Boeing 747-8 von Lufthansa einen Notfall.
Stefan Eiselin
Stefan Eiselin